"CP 1766, January 19. 172 days have passed since landing. Local time: AD 2017, February 5."
"Yesterday was a momentous day! The significance only became clear after I had finished my diary entry, though. Ye Min introduced me to Mark, a former high-achieving student from his school. He became the second human I've conversed with. This is a positive development that will benefit future plans, provided things don't spiral out of control… Why do I feel like I'm portraying myself as some kind of puppet master behind the scenes?"
"As some great mind once said, 'The higher the animal's intelligence, the less applicable the term nature becomes.' My conversation with Mark gave me ample proof of this, though 'animal' might not be the most fitting word here… Mark's personality is completely different from Ye Min's: extremely cautious, and perhaps even a bit xenophobic? Seeing me was like encountering a wild beast. Maybe in his eyes, I really am a beast? After all, you can't deny that biological fact. Thankfully, he didn't compare me to a fox... at least not verbally..."
"And it's odd. I think I might have misunderstood something. Mark doesn't seem like the type to flaunt his grades at school. So what exactly is Ye Min afraid of him for?..."
"Even better news is that Mark's proficiency has surpassed my expectations. Without even using any equipment, he just glanced at it a few times and already deduced part of the synthesis scheme! And remember, he knew nothing about medical sprays before! It was tough communicating these details with him, but I could tell he's far more chemically adept than his age suggests... Geniuses truly exist in this world..."
"Or maybe I just misunderstand how human intellect develops."
"Weather's been normal, with light snowfall at noon. It melted quickly, though. Lucky for us — apparently, humans struggle to leave the bed in this cold, we don't have that problem."
***
When Mark opens his eyes, he stares blankly for a moment, mind blank. Only gradually do memories of last night begin to flood back.
He must have gone to the bar after the private conference, got completely drunk and had an absurdly bizarre dream: Min's keeping an alien at home, and that alien looks like a fox!
"Alcohol really does strange things." he murmurs to himself.
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But he quickly begins to doubt this. If it truly is a dream, the details are far too vivid. He even remembers what the alien — called Xipeng? No, Xi P? — had said about helping humanity advance technologically, even developing faster-than-light engines someday. He also remembers playing a game of chess with the alien.
Furthermore, he has no recollection of visiting a bar after the conference. And his mind feels perfectly clear with no trace of a hangover.
The best way to verify whether this has actually happened is to call Min. Acting on impulse, he quickly finishes his morning routine and dials the number.
The call connects in under five seconds, but Min's voice beats him to the question: "Mark, is that you? What were you discussing with him last night that dragged on until 5 a.m.? I worked so hard to get his schedule aligned with ours."
Mark's heart skips a beat. He feels his pulse racing, his voice stumbling as he stammers: "So... it... he's real? No, last night actually happened?"
Hearing Mark's flustered, stumbling reply, Min bursts into laughter at the other end of the line, then forces himself to maintain a serious tone when speaking: "You don't trust your own memory that much?"
Mark takes a deep breath, finally calming himself somewhat. After a moment's thought, he realises that he has no pressing commitments this afternoon. With ample time on his hands, he asks: "Would it be okay if I came over to your place now?"
"Sure, but he's still asleep. If you come now, you'll only be able to talk to the silver fox."
"Alright, then, that's a good chance for… let me ask you a straightforward question: has he ever hurt you?"
"Why do you ask?"
"You have a saying: 'Those not of our people think differently'. Isn't that right? This isn't just a matter of cultural differences — he's a different species, with a fundamentally different brain structure. There must be conflicts arising from incompatible ways of thinking. Tell me, so I can put my mind at ease."
"Mark, can you not don't be so xenophobic? You can't jump to conclusions like this. The age of an idea doesn't determine its validity. let me ask you: during the Age of Exploration, many Europeans did not regard Africans as belonging to the same species as themselves, correct? Would you dare voice that antiquated yet once widely held view aloud?"
"...I'm not sidestepping the issue. I'll answer you directly. Yes, he did attack me — if you count pushing me twice — but I understand it was my fault, not his. Don't tell me you're afraid of not just another species, but even a smart parrot? That's not even a mammal — it's a bird. Didn't last night's conversation make it clear? They and us. There's no fundamental difference in how we think. You talked with him for hours then, and now you're badmouthing him? Should I call you a hypocrite, the kind who won't openly criticise others but talks about them behind their back? " Min is deeply displeased by Mark's words. He rants angrily into the phone for a good while before finally pausing, breathless.
Mark falls silent. Finally, seemingly sensing that Min has nothing more to say, he murmurs softly: "I'm sorry for what I said earlier."
Unbeknown to Min, in the bedroom, Xi P's right ear twitches upward, turning toward the door...
